As heritage and historic buildings succumb to redevelopment, is it too late to save old Hong Kong from the wrecking ball?
Preservationists say society must come to its senses before the city loses its diverse mix of new and old structures
Hong Kong has two faces – one looks to the future, the other to the past. But seldom do both see eye to eye.
The perpetual sound of jackhammers and drills across the urban landscape is a constant reminder of this battle between modernisation and preservation.
Behind the gleaming glass of skyscrapers and luxury shopping malls lingers the fraying fabric of old Hong Kong – traditional tenement blocks, shophouses, elegant Chinese mansions and awe-inspiring colonial relics.
But today, in the world’s most expensive property market, even buildings with major historical or heritage value are giving way to redevelopment, as land becomes increasingly scarce.
The government in 2009 identified 1,444 ageing structures as eligible for varying degrees of protection. But almost 50 have since been demolished or significantly altered – to the angst of preservationists.
“The pace of conservation, especially in a fast-changing city like Hong Kong, must keep up with the pace of development,” said Lee Ho-yin, who leads the University of Hong Kong’s division of architectural conservation programmes.